KK sewerage system not func oning
The State Government has been urged to speedily solve the problem of sewerage network system in Kota Kinabalu and surrounding areas as untreated sewage effluent from housing and township areas have been flowing directly into monsoon drains, and even into the sea.
KOTA KINABALU: The State Government has been urged to speedily solve the problem of sewerage network system in the city here and surrounding areas as untreated sewage/effluent from housing and township areas have been flowing directly into monsoon drains, and even into the sea.
In making the call yesterday, social activist and environmentalist Dr CY Vun said he had been receiving many complaints from residents and members of the public, especially in Lido, Taman Fortuna and Likas areas that the emission of stinking smells of pitch-black effluent from the monsoon drains had been going on for the past four to five years.
He said the residents had raised the issue a few times in the past but, so far, no concrete action had been taken by the previous state government.
“The sewerage system in Kota Kinabalu is no longer functioning as seen from the daily large amount of effluent or sewage flowing from housing areas and shophouses into the monsoon drains.
“This is mainly due to leakages and blockages along the old pipe networks which can no longer transport the sewage/effluent to the oxidation and treatment plants located in Likas,” said Vun.
Following the complaints from the residents and members of the public, Vun said he carried out an inspection at several locations and discovered that sewage/effuent were discharged directly into the monsoon drains, especially in the areas of Lido, Taman Fortuna, Queen Elizabeth One (QEH) 1 and near the SK Lok Yuk in Likas.
“The sewage/effluent were pitch-black and emitting foul and stinking smell and the people I talked to are complining that they have been enduring this problem for many years now.”
He said the situation could be blamed on the previous state government, the Public Works Department, the Kota Kinabalu City Hall and contractors responsible for the maintanence of the sewerage network system and monsoon drains.
In this regard, he urged the new government to exercise the open tenders for contracts for maintenance works of the sewerage system and, even on all other government contracts, in order to eliminate monopoly, especially for government-funded projects involving technical works.
“The Kota Kinabalu sewerage network system needs to be fully rectified to ensure that the sewage treatement system is good and effective and also meet the environmental and health requirements.
“This problem needs to be dealt with urgently as the daily discharge of untreated toxic sewage/effluent into the monsoon drains and even to the sea is not only causing pollution and affecting the marine ecology but also potentially posing health hazard and unknown diseases to the public,” he cautioned.